Construction at 1021 N Harrison was completed in 1910. The house was designed by John E. Tourtellotte and Company, which alongside Tourtellotte’s previous firm, Tourtellotte and Hummel, is responsible for many of the most famous and beautiful buildings across Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. With a low-pitched roof with broad, exposed eaves, a large front porch, shingle siding and an open layout, it is an archetypal example of the Western Bungalow architectural style, which includes many of the characteristics of the Craftsman style and is common among historic Boise homes from the same period. The home features two stories and a basement, which is somewhat uncommon since bungalow style homes tended to be only one story. Patterned leaded and stained glass windows decorate the house.
The house’s design and construction was commissioned by Manford H. Coffin, the first cashier of the First National Bank of Idaho, which was the first chartered national bank west of the Rocky Mountains when it was formed in 1867. M. H. Coffin went on to become a prominent and successful local businessman and socialite. He was active in the mining industry and bought a quartz mill in 1899 which provided him with considerable wealth. He played on a local baseball team and attended parties regularly, and his wife was appointed the director of the Boise Fine Arts Department in 1899.
By 1909, Coffin’s wealth allowed him to commission the design and construction of a house for his son, Manford Coffin Jr. at 1021 Harrison while Manford Coffin Sr. lived on Maple Grove Ranch with his wife. Manford Coffin Jr. moved in upon the home’s completion in 1910. Like his father, Coffin Jr. was an active socialite in the community.
Shortly after its construction in 1911, the house was rented to the Faris family. Mrs. R. W. Faris, the sister of Anna Owens-Faris, the tenant of the home, hosted meetings of the Ladies Aid of the First Presbyterian Church and the Arts and Travels Section of the Columbia Club in the house. In 1912, Matthew Olson died of miner’s consumption inside the house, and Harry A. Owens, Mrs Faris’ brother, died of heart trouble in 1919, also in the house. Anna Owens also died in the house in 1926. However, the current owners report no strange occurrences or other signs of haunting.
The vacancy after the death of Anna Owens-Faris’ death was filled by Mrs. James Repl, who hosted the Truino Bible Class of the First Presbyterian Church and the Ladies Aid Society in the house. Some time later the house was converted into a duplex with the upstairs serving as a separate apartment. It was later reverted to a single-family home, as it is currently configured.

A Note On Accuracy
The Idaho Architecture Project (IAP) is a community engagement initiative from Preservation Idaho. All images on this website were taken by IAP participants unless otherwise noted. This catalog consists of submissions from community members, students, historians and preservation experts. Because of the varied nature of these submissions from novice to expert, there may be historical or narrative inaccuracies. Please contact us to report any necessary corrections.